China’s Ministry of State Security announced Monday the arrest of a Chinese official accused of spying for the US central security and surveillance agency (CIA).
According to the Chinese authorities, the detainee is a 39-year-old official, surnamed Hao, who was “recruited by the CIA while studying in Japan.”
In a statement, the Chinese ministry said an employee of the US embassy in China had gained Hao’s trust through gifts and dinner invitations.
“Before finishing his studies abroad, he was officially recruited by a member of the CIA and signed an espionage agreement with the United States,” the same source added.
According to the same statement, Hao began working at an unspecified ministry after returning to China, and “met CIA officials in China on several occasions to offer information in exchange for money.”
The Ministry of State Security said earlier this month that it had detained another suspected Chinese spy, who was hired by an official at the US embassy in Italy.
Last July, China amended the Counter-Espionage Law to include “collaboration with espionage organizations and their agents” under the category of espionage.
The legislation banned the transfer of any information related to national security and expanded the definition of espionage, at a time when Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to build a “new security architecture.”
The Chinese Ministry of State Security also this month called for the mobilization of “the whole of society” to “prevent and combat espionage,” and announced measures to “strengthen national defense” against “activities of foreign intelligence services.” .
In May, Chinese police searched the offices of two consulting firms, Bain & Co. and Capvision, and a US auditing firm, Mintz Group. Authorities offered no explanation, saying only that foreign companies are required to comply with the law.
These investigations generated concern in the sector and among potential foreign investors, despite the fact that Beijing has clarified that they were isolated actions.
Source: TSF
